Home watch
- Visits every week or every two weeks
- Problems caught while they are small
- A detailed status report after every visit
Second homes
Home watch and maintenance for the home you are away from.
We visit every week or every two weeks, check the house inside and out, and send you an update with photos the same day. Maintenance, repairs and vendors are handled by the same company.
Home watch
Regular visits for a set monthly price.
Home watch is a scheduled visit to a home while you are away. We walk through the house and the grounds, and you hear how the house is doing the same day.
We provide home watch across Buncombe, Henderson and Transylvania counties, including Asheville, Hendersonville, Brevard, Lake Toxaway, Mills River and Pisgah Forest, and the communities around them.
What we check
Every visit confirms your home is the way you left it.
We check for what goes wrong in an empty house, including water, heat, pests and weather. If something has changed, you hear about it the same day, with photos and what it will take to put right.
Inside the house
- Every room walked through
- Faucets, toilets and leaks
- Thermostat and humidity
- Windows and doors locked
- Signs of pests
- Photo update the same day
Systems and safety
- Main water shut-off
- Heating and cooling running
- Smoke and CO alarms
- Water heater
- Breaker panel
- Freeze protection in winter
Outside and grounds
- Roof and gutters
- Deck and porch
- Crawl space and drainage
- Outside water
- Trees near the house
- Storm damage
National Home Watch Association
Vetted by the National Home Watch Association.
Home Watch is defined as a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues.
Accreditation means the NHWA has checked the company behind the service. It includes a criminal background check on the company principals, proof of insurance and bonding, business licensing where it is required, and agreement to the NHWA Code of Ethics. Accredited companies go through the same vetting again every year.
The NHWA Accredits Home Watch Services Only.
Mountain weather
Ready for freezes, ice, heavy rain and wind.
Western North Carolina gets hard freezes, ice storms, flooding rain and the remnants of tropical storms. Our visits are planned around them.
- Thermostat and water shut-off verified before a cold snap
- Exposed pipes and outside faucets checked through the winter
- Storm prep before high winds or a tropical storm, with photos
- A visit after a storm for trees, the roof and drainage
- Gutters and the crawl space checked after heavy rain
- Generator run and fuel level verified
Maintenance plans
Add a maintenance plan to your visits.
The same three plans we offer for primary homes. Your price is set at the walkthrough, in writing.
The complete plan
Complete
Everything in Framework, plus
Twice a year
- Gutter cleaning
- Trash bin cleaning
Once a year
- Window cleaning, inside and out
- Power washing
- Soft washing
Plus maintenance recommendations and vendor coordination as needed.
Request a walkthroughFramework
Everything in Foundation, plus
Twice a year
- HVAC inspection & cleaning
- Fireplace and outdoor lighting
Once a year
- Dryer vent cleaning
- Detector batteries
Plus maintenance recommendations and vendor coordination as needed.
Request a walkthroughFoundation
Quarterly
- Air filters replaced
- Refrigerator filter replaced
- Smoke and CO detectors tested
- Lightbulb replacement
- Pest and carpenter bee check
- Water shut-off and freeze check
Plus maintenance recommendations and vendor coordination as needed.
Request a walkthroughSee a year of home watch and maintenance laid out in our sample care plan (PDF)
Repairs and projects
When your house needs work, we handle it.
This is part of how we care for the homes we manage. Everything is quoted in writing and approved by you before it starts.
Repairs
Something needs fixing? We quote it, you approve it, and it is done on the next visit or sooner.
Project management
From a new deck to a kitchen remodel, we manage the project as our client’s representative. We handle the bids, scheduling and monitoring.
Vendor coordination
We coordinate landscaping, cleaning, pest control and other services, managing scheduling and monitoring the work so you have one point of contact.
Beyond your plan
Additional services for our clients.
Services we coordinate
We manage scheduling and monitor vendor work, giving you one point of contact.
- Home cleaning
- Landscaping
- Pest control
- Pool and hot tub service
- Painting
- Flooring
- Carpet cleaning
- Moving
- Smart home installation
- Security system installation
- Generator and elevator service
- Irrigation and outdoor lighting
Concierge services
Arranged around how you use the home.
- Arrival prep and departure close-down
- House readied for your guests
- Grocery and firewood stocking
- Key holding with an access log
- Vehicle and golf cart starting
- Boat and jet ski service
Additional services as needed
Requested when you need them.
- Storm prep and post-storm check
- Meeting a contractor or delivery
- Extra visits as requested
- Drywall repair
Questions people ask us.
What is home management?
The ongoing care, upkeep and management of your home and property. Maintenance done when it is due, scheduled visits, repairs, and the trades and services a house needs, all handled by one company so you do not have to manage any of it.
What is home watch?
Home Watch is defined as a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues. On each visit we walk through the house and the grounds, check that everything is working, and send you a status report with photos. Home watch is for second homes, with a visit every week or every two weeks.
How much does it cost?
The price depends on the size of your home, where it is, and which plan you choose. After the walkthrough you receive a written quote, and you decide whether to go ahead.
How often do you visit?
Second homes are visited every week or every two weeks. Short-term rentals are visited on a schedule that fits around your bookings. Primary homes are visited when the maintenance in your plan is due. Extra visits can be added during a long absence, a cold snap, or after a storm. The schedule is set at the walkthrough and written into your plan.
What happens if you find a problem?
If it is urgent, we call you the same day. Otherwise it goes in your visit update with a photo, an explanation, and a quote if a repair is needed. No work is done until you approve it.
Can I keep the contractors I already use?
Yes. If you have people you know and trust, we are glad to work with them. Where you need someone you do not have, we have a vetted network to draw on.
Can I change plans later?
Yes. You can upgrade your plan or add services at any time.
What do you not do?
Stillwater is not a security service and does not perform licensed home inspections. For short-term rentals, we look after the house and the vendors. We do not handle bookings or guests, and we do not manage long-term rentals with tenants.
Start with a walkthrough.
Tell us about your home and what you’d like handled. We can arrange a free walkthrough and put together a plan and price for you to review.